前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病,以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮,乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大,用来治疗其他疾病。* ?' E$ J+ \# v0 p2 q/ m
3 W6 r& r7 Q R人在德国 社区 乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法,病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭,更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上,经过一、二十分钟,水蛭吸完血,身体膨胀4倍,就可以取下,接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上,等吸完血再取出,医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带,就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说,她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de1 d$ {, a r) R; A; v
人在德国 社区6 X5 T8 t9 s) n& _1 v& F" ]+ Q
另外,有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人,也会用水蛭疗法降低血压,或是治疗头痛。一名医师说,不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病,乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国,也有不少人接受这种疗法。 , s+ G8 ?. v+ G- H- [8 H 2 G8 _/ f7 E) B4 O0 p+ O+ C 3 z; M6 Q# c6 z& o a m' H7 I4 m; k1 jrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de ! M+ h; n2 u3 H, ~& Brs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 4 r" \( F- W, }8 g1 IWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 6 Q+ F; ]$ l* N7 o7 z/ rrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de* _% N1 U ?0 m1 e- I9 }; @
Leeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de! |& ~+ a9 x$ r1 a) @5 A! i
; J6 W }: F! d; R! W* W' {The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.) j& s. K7 `! T! c( J5 z
: H* G" t' U" wThat idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia. & i, t5 r: m8 ^5 q2 A6 l( D& M1 C2 u/ ]# v S( `
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.